Spring Break Destinations for Grownups

Congratulations, the holidays are over. You’ve given everyone their gifts, braved winter travels, and put in quality family time. Now do something for yourself by planning an adult spring break you can look forward to while it's still chilly outside. Because really, why should college kids have all the fun? Here are five popular beach spots and their emerging alternatives for 2017.
This gallery was first published in 2014 and has been updated.

Last Year: Costa Rica

The Central American country continues to break its own world record in running purely on renewable energy, cementing its reputation for “pura vida.” Thanks to its cleanliness and relative safety, Costa Rica has long been a beginner-friendly international destination, but its understandable popularity means it might be a spot better visited during the rainy off-season that lasts until April.

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This Year: Nicaragua

So instead, consider Nicaragua, which has emerged as a less developed alternative (with fewer zip lines). In addition to sinewy volcanoes and idyllic beaches, Nicaragua has a number of under-the-radar boutique properties, like the eco-conscious Jicaro Island Ecolodge and the artsy Rancho Santana. Go now before developers start cleaving the country in half to construct the Nicaragua Canal, which, if ever completed, could forever mar its fragile ecosystem.

This Year: Jamaica

But this year, you might want to unwind in Jamaica. Even if you’re not a beach bum, its unique and thriving food scene is a strong draw. And there’s plenty of grownup R&R here, from the ocean-side retreat of Rockhouse’s signature Spice Bathing Ritual to seaweed wraps at Jake’s Hotel to the Blue Mountain Coffee scrub at GoldenEye, a 49-key resort tucked between the Caribbean and a tranquil lagoon on the northern coast.

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Last Year: Aruba

Making up the ABC of the Dutch Caribbean’s Lesser Antilles, along with Bonaire and Curaçao, Aruba has long attracted visitors with its balmy climate and excellent tourist infrastructures—perfect for travelers who don’t want any surprises.

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This Year: Turks & Caicos

But if you want your spring break with thinner crowds, lose yourself in Turks and Caicos, only eight of whose 40 islands are inhabited. Away from the main tourist hub of Providenciales, you can kick back on the 1,000-acre private island of COMO Parrot Bay, or take a 25-minute flight to Sailrock Resort, which opens in January 2017 to provide a home base for the unspoiled 8.2-square-mile South Caicos and the world’s third-largest coral reef.

This Year: Costalegre, Mexico

For a more exclusive experience, head south of Jalisco’s popular Puerto Vallarta, where you’ll find “Mexico’s Virgin Coast” replete with beaches, lagoons, and untouched jungles. Honoring the region’s pristine flora that boasts some of the world’s greatest biodiversity are two Condé Nast Traveler reader favorites: the 16-suite Las Alamandas overlooking four private beaches, and the Moorish-inspired Cuixmala, flanked by 25,000 acres of rare dry tropical forest.

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Last Year: St. Lucia

In St. Lucia, things can get plenty wild: Not only do the Pitons, a pair of volcanic spires that have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, harbor endemic plants and birds, but the coastal rain forests and mountainous rain forests hum with waterfalls. Luxurious boutique properties like Jade Mountain contrast with the wild scenery.